Efficient genealogy registry system

A system for building an online genealogical repository using a computer network, the system comprising:

• a computer having a processor and a memory coupled to the processor;
• a database residing on a storage medium in communication with the processor;
• the memory having computer-readable instructions stored therein, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the operations of:
• (i) form a surname workspace in the database in response to receipt of a surname over the network selected by a surname workspace creator, the surname workspace comprising a descendent-sequence tree structure beginning with a name of an ancient ancestor identified by the surname workspace creator, (ii) define in the database a surname workspace administrator, (iii) define in the database members of a surname workgroup for the surname workspace, (iv) define update rights to the descendent-sequence tree structure in the database for each member of the surname workgroup as determined by the surname workspace administrator, the update rights being one of provisional update rights and immediate update rights, (v) receive descendent information submitted by the members of the surname workgroup over the computer network, (vi) populate the descendent-sequence tree structure in the database without review by the surname workspace administrator based upon descendent information submitted by members of the surname workgroup having immediate update rights, and (vii) provisionally populate the descendent-sequence tree structure in the database based upon descendent information submitted by members of the surname workgroup having provisional update rights until an after-the-fact review is performed by the surname workspace administrator.

A genealogy registry system for collecting, summarizing, indexing, lineage-linking, and displaying all of the world's genealogy records information on a computer comprising:

• a central server database comprising:
• a plurality of contributors' data spaces for storing genealogical data in lineage-linked form,
• a submission link space coupled to the plurality of contributors' data spaces for making and storing links between genealogical data items in each of the plurality of contributors' data spaces, and
• a third-party link space coupled to the plurality of contributors' data spaces for making and storing links between genealogical data items between the plurality of contributors' data spaces;
• a central server comprising:
• a surname cooperation manager to manage cooperation between a plurality of researchers researching genealogy for the same surname;
• a unique ID generator to generate a unique ID for any individual being researched;
• a visible data selector to allow access to a subgroup of data on the central server database;
• and
• a workstation manager to manage transmission of data to the central server database from workstations where data is assembled relating to a particular surname, the workstations being operable to extract, index, sort and link information from source documents for the surname.